Jos� and Salvador Reanda Quieju
Galeria Sin Fronteras
through March
 Principal de Confradia, by Salvador Reanda Quieju |
flavor of Guatemala, brought to us through the artistic insight of Guatemalan
artists Jos� and Salvador Reanda Quieju. These brothers have lived in
Santiago, Solola, Guatemala since they were born; now in their twenties, they
have taken the expressive and emotional faces of their neighbors and turned
them into absorbing, beautiful portraits.
Neither of the men have had formal artistic training, but they have painted
since childhood and have succeeded in capturing the essence of their
surroundings. The paintings are head-and-shoulder portraits of people in their
town, and although all the characters possess similar skin color and clothing,
each person radiates a distinctive presence and personality. The brothers say
they “strive to capture their neighbors’ strength, wisdom, and humanity.” El
Magosdomo depicts a man holding a smoldering pipe, looking pensive and
thoughtful. His thick, caramel-colored skin is beginning to show signs of age
with a few lines around his eyes and mouth, but his small eyes convey
contentment, emitting a lively sparkle.
La Consegerra shows a woman with eyes as piercing as a hawk’s, but with
deep lines etched into her weathered skin. The brilliant colors of the clothing
draping her body beautifully frame her small, gaunt face. The piece is more
than a portrait of a woman; it presents an image of the woman sitting for hours
beneath a blazing sun, watching the bustle of her Guatemalan town go by. The
gallery’s print show is also worth a look-see. Printing seems quite a popular
medium with Austin artists these days, and this show offers a wide variety of
styles and techniques. Just don’t forget to check out the Guatemalan villagers
behind the partition in back.
Paintings
David Edward Ackerman
Star Seeds Cafe
through February
Knowing that Star Seeds Cafe is essentially a burger joint — albeit a trendy,
hip one — what kind of wall hangings would you expect to find there?
Thirty-year-old posters of Elvis? Velvet paintings of Johnny Cash? Antique
Coca-Cola signs? Well, we’re talking Austin here, where good art is so
plentiful you can find it in the neighborhood cafe, so these aren’t your
standard greasy burger joint wall hangings. (Which is appropriate, since Stars
isn’t your standard greasy burger joint.) In his paintings, Ackerman
uses a frenzy of colors and curvy, swirly strokes to create a surreal, fluid
movement that changes in emotional intensity from one piece to the next.
Each painting contains a mesh of many colors, though a certain color
resonates more strongly within each work: vivid red in Devil,
luminescent blue in Mermaid Causing Splashes. Although most of the works
don’t depict a certain shape or form, through the layers of colors you can make
out hidden images: an Egyptian eye in Total Reckless Abandonment Hands
Bound, two human figures in Eros During/Under a Green Moon. (How
about these names? They infuse a little more drama into the works.)
What these paintings lack in realistic structure, they make up for in engaging
compositions. They’re similar to Georgia O’Keefe’s close-up images of flowers,
except even closer — closer to the point where petals, pollen, and all mesh
together into one colorful mass.
— Cari Marshall
This article appears in February 21 • 1997 and February 21 • 1997 (Cover).